Sex, Drugs, Rockband

It is about fucking time… destructoid.com - Say it with me: “It’s about God damned time.” Revealed as downloadable content last freakin’ year, the classic Jane’s Addiction album Nothing’s Shocking is coming to Rock Band as downloadable content next week. The best news? It’s coming to all three platforms, the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and Wii.

The full album will cost $15.99 (1280 MS Points for the 360); Wii owners will have to purchase individual tracks at 200 Wii Points a piece. Xbox 360 and PS3 folks can pick and choose songs at 160 MS Points or $1.99 respectively. Tracks hit Xbox LIVE Marketplace and Wii Rock Band Music Store on Tuesday, and PlayStation Store on Thursday.

As someone who grew up listening to this album on a cassette until my Walkman ate it up, I’m going to go ahead and buy this whole thing. Others may only recognize a few of the tracks, particularly “Jane Says,” an alternate version of which was made popular in the 90s.

The following tracks — along with “Mountain Song,” which already appears on the Rock Band 2 disc — will complete the album:

“Up the Beach”
“Ocean Size.”
“Had a Dad”
“Ted, Just Admit It…”
“Standing in the Shower… Thinking”
“Summertime Rolls”
“Idiots Rule”
“Jane Says”
“Thank You Boys”
“Pig’s in Zen”

What’s your plan?

obsessable.com - The Rock Band Kick Pedal from PDP is the officially licensed expansion kick pedal for all versions of Harmonix and MTV Games’ Rock Band. While it can be used as a replacement pedal for a broken one, it also comes with the adapter needed to have two kicks for the bass drum, heavy metal style.
Note that this package does not actually include two kick pedals; it only includes one kick pedal and the adapter you need to connect another. However, if you already own a licensed Rock Band drum kit you should be able to use this pedal with your existing one.
It’s available now for $24.99. Head to the product details tab for the full press release from Harmonix and MTV Games.

gearlive.com - So here’s the drink list from the event Harmonix threw the other day at the Rockit Room in San Fran. Nice, eh? I didn’t get the opportunity to indulge, but one fellow told me that the overdrive will “take you to flavor country” before gliding away on roller skates.

Oh, and at the end of the night, they announced and played a song called “Don’t Stop Believing” or something by some flash in the pan band named Journey would be hitting Rock Band. Should be available next Tuesday, but the date is subject to change and the pricing has not yet been announced, if you care about that kind of stuff.
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pluginmusic.com - Still producing incendiary and important music eighteen years after their debut, now you can game with Pearl Jam drummer Matt Cameron as he plays Rock Band 2 with Xbox LIVE® Gold members March 27. If you’re an Xbox LIVE Gold member, and you want a chance to play with Matt Cameron, send a friend request to the Gamertag “Pearl Jam GWF” and be online half an hour before (6:30 p.m. EST) the Game with Fame session starts on Friday, March 27, 7:00 p.m. EST.

If you get a chance to play with Matt Cameron, Xbox wants to hear about it! Send an e-mail to xlmail@microsoft.com with the subject: “GWF - Pearl Jam.” Be sure to include your Gamertag and hometown.

With eight full-length albums under their belts, the band is now re-releasing their very first album put out in 1991, “Ten.” There will be four collectible special edition versions of the re-release and you can find out more about these at the band’s official website.
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This great album was promised by the end of 08. Harmonix has done such a great job, we can allow them a slip up or 2. kotaku.com - Harmonix revealed the full album’s availability via the Rock Band Music Store to subscribers of the Rock Band Community Zine, with ten tracks from Stevie Ray Vaughn and Double Trouble landing (presumably) starting next Tuesday, March 3rd. Announced last summer, Texas Flood is the second to last from that batch to hit—Jane’s Addiction’s Nothing’s Shocking still remains unreleased.

Price is $15.99 for the PlayStation 3 version or 1280 Microsoft Points for the Xbox 360 and contains the following tracks that you’re probably going to have a hard time playing very well.

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With the massive success of the rhythm game genre over the last 3 and a half years you would think that the music industry would be banging on Harmonix’s, Activision’s, and MTV Games’ collective doors. Well, you would be wrong.

Even though Aerosmith reportedly earned more from their GH title than they did from any one of their albums, and even though consumer interest in “old” bands has returned as the games introduced them to a new generation of shoppers, it turns out that the music industry - not surprisingly - thinks that they aren’t getting paid enough.

Edgar Bronfman, CEO of Warner Music Group, says, “The amount being paid to the music industry, even though [these] games are entirely dependent on the content we own and control, is far too small.” Mr. Bronfman went on to say that unless rhythm game makers start makin’ with the cha-ching, then “we will not license to those games.”

MTV Games, publisher of Rock Band, responded by boycotting the Warner Artists label and is currently in negotiations with them trying to hammer out a deal.

Could this be the end of master tracks?
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http://arstechnica.com - While Activision has cashed in on the Guitar Hero name with everything from portable versions of the game to cheap LCD keychain toys, Harmonix and MTV Games have yet to make a questionable move when it comes to releasing spin-off products. This new one may change that… or it may be a strong addition to the franchise. Today it was announced that Rock Band is coming to the PSP with Rock Band Unplugged.

The game will feature a store that will allow gamers to purchase new content using the PSP’s WiFi capabilities, a first for the system. Almost no other details were given, although one site seems to have the scoop on the game. Read on for some juicy rumor.

Primotechnology is claiming to have the full scoop on the game, although the they won’t reveal the source for its information. They claim there will be no peripheral; the game will work using the system’s own buttons. “Instead, all input is handled by the ‘Left,’ ‘Up,’ ‘Triangle,’ and ‘Circle’ buttons. The player can switch between guitar, drums, bass, and ‘vocals’ (although he won’t physically be singing, merely tapping buttons) using the L and R shoulder buttons,” the site claims.
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Now, if only Poison was available on Rock Band… bizjournals.com - Bret Michaels, the front man of 1980s heavy metal band Poison and the subject of VH1’s highest-rated program “Rock of Love Bus with Bret Michaels,” will be at Horseshoe Casino and Hotel in Harrison County next month to kick off a promotion.

Horseshoe, a Harrah’s Entertainment Inc. property, is seeking “bands” to compete in a battle of the bands competition using the popular “Rock Band” video game. Weekly competitions will be held between March 26 and April 16.

The overall winner of the competition at the Horseshoe will advance to a regional competition, held April 30 in New Orleans.

The winning band will move on to the championship competition, scheduled for May 8 in Atlantic City.
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fragland.net - Viacom and Harmonix are sueing Konami over Rock Revolution, claiming the game violates a patent for game controllers that simulate musical instruments.

The complaint, filed yesterday in federal court in Boston, seeks to block sales of the video game by Tokyo-based Konami, plus cash compensation.
The funny part: in July last year, Konami started a lawsuit against Viacom and Harmonix for… “violating a patent for game controllers that simulate musical instruments” in Rock Band.

These patent lawsuits are becoming a joke!